Studies on Sufism11 Sufism in Saudi Arabia Since 1979

A groundbreaking study of Sufism in Saudi Arabia since 1979, this monograph explores the complex interplay between Saudi Sufism and state-driven Wahhabi orthodoxy. Essential reading for scholars of contemporary Islam, Middle Eastern politics, and religious reform. This is the first full-length monograph to explore Sufism in Saudi Arabia since 1979—a groundbreaking journey into a rarely seen side of the kingdom’s religious life. Drawing on rich fieldwork, in-depth interviews with Sufi practitioners, and archival research, the book brings readers deep into the spiritual networks that persist beneath the surface of state-enforced Wahhabi orthodoxy. It traces a century of scholarly life in the Hejaz, follows transnational ties—especially those of the Ba ʿAlawi order—and uncovers stories of persecution, such as that of Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki. Timely and vivid, it also examines the profound religious shifts unfolding under the rule of Mohammed bin Salman.